MELBOURNE (AFP) – India will face England and New Zealand play Pakistan in the semi-finals as a Twenty20 (T20) World Cup full of shocks wrapped up its Super 12 stage in suitably scintillating fashion yesterday.
South Africa had been fully expected to seal their place in the final four in Australia as they met the Netherlands at the Adelaide Oval on the last day of the group stage.
But the Dutch refused to read the script, Colin Ackermann blasting 41 off 26 balls as the Netherlands stunned the heavily fancied Proteas by 13 runs.
South Africa had been touted as dark horses for the title but instead it extended their wretched run in white-ball World Cups and saw Mark Boucher’s reign as coach end in bitter disappointment.
“Gutted, to be honest,” he said. “I think this squad deserved to give themselves a better chance.
“Unfortunately it didn’t happen for us, which is very disappointing for me and certainly every single guy who’s in our dressing room at the moment.”
The Dutch finished a heady fourth in Group 2 and so will not need to go through qualifying for the next World Cup.
“The fact that we now have an opportunity to just walk straight in, I think it’s a good confidence booster and very good for Dutch cricket,” said bowler Brandon Glover, who took 3-9 against shell-shocked South Africa.
“Hopefully we can take advantage of it.”
Dutch delight changed the complexion of Group 2.
It sent top-ranked T20 side India into the semi-finals before they even played Zimbabwe and turned Pakistan versus Bangladesh into a virtual quarter-final.
Fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi then put three months of injury misery behind him with his career-best T20 figures of 4-22 to lead Pakistan into the last four.
Now they will face last year’s beaten finalists New Zealand on Wednesday in Sydney for a place in the November 13 final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
